


Whumptober Day 15 - Scars

by TexdoesHalo



Series: Whumptober - 2019 [15]
Category: Borderlands (Video Games)
Genre: Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, Emotional Hurt, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Fluff and Angst, Go on Rhysie give your man some lovin, Insecure Jack, Jack Feels, Jack Needs a Hug, Jack is scared to take off his mask, M/M, Nervousness, Scars, Whump, Whumptober, Whumptober 2019, he needs it, mentions of trauma, rhys is a good boyfriend, tagging is hard
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-16
Updated: 2019-10-16
Packaged: 2020-12-17 14:29:53
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,055
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21055946
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TexdoesHalo/pseuds/TexdoesHalo
Summary: They say scars add character and show your strength. But there are some marks that only serve as reminders of pain and suffering.





	Whumptober Day 15 - Scars

Rhys knew Jack’s body like the back of his own hand. He could recite the stories behind each and every scar with ease and trace them all blindfolded.

But there was one mark he had never seen.

He and Jack had been together for just about a year and yet the CEO still refused to take off his mask around the other man. Rhys wasn’t a dick, he knew that Jack had a good reason to keep it on, but he couldn’t help but be curious about what laid underneath...

On the day of their 1st anniversary, Rhys, of course, got flooded by work. Being with Hyperion’s CEO could only get him out of so much and Rhys was utterly exhausted by the time he made it back to the penthouse he and Jack shared. 

The luxurious home was unsurprisingly quiet, Jack himself usually didn’t make it back till late, “The work of a CEO is never done!” the workaholic would say.

Then something caught his eye. Rhys stepped forward and his fingers drifted over the fabric of Jack’s jacket hung on the back of a chair. That had to mean he was home.

But then why wasn’t Rhys hearing any music? Or smelling food? Or even hearing quiet swearing and grumbling from the home office? 

Hell, he half expected the man to jump on him the moment they both got home for some “Happy 1st Anniversary sex”. But no, there was nothing, no indicator that the man was home beyond the discarded jacket.

Cautiously advancing further into the main room, Rhys glanced around and called out for his boyfriend, “Jack? Are you home?” Met only by silence, his worry started growing rapidly until,

“In here…”

It took everything Rhys had not to take off sprinting towards Jack’s voice, the tone was distraught and strangely….nervous? Scared? No, Handsome Jack was never scared. 

Right?

Following the voice to its source, Rhys stepped over the threshold into their shared bedroom and was greeted by the sight of Jack sitting at the edge of the bed. His head down and in his hands sat…

His mask. His mask was sitting in his hands.

“Jack?” Rhys took a tentative step forward, not wanting to startle the man or overstep his boundaries. “Are you okay? Is something wrong?” Mismatched eyes flicked between the mask and Jack, he wasn’t really sure what to do.

A deep sigh left the older man, shoulders slumping a bit as he set the mask aside. “I’m okay, pumpkin...just... I know you’ve been curious but this...this is hard for me. You get it?”

Rhys nodded, then mentally smacked himself and replied verbally, “Of course I do. And of course I’m curious but I don’t want you to be uncomfortable, Jack. If you don’t want to show me then I understand..”

Shaking his head with a chuckle, Jack kept his face down but seemed to relax a bit, not much, but it was something, “Are you sure you want to see? It ain’t pretty, kiddo…”

Kneeling without hesitation before the anxious man, Rhys reached out to take both of Jack’s large hands in his own, tinier, ones. “Yes. Yes I’m sure. Whatever is under there won’t change how I feel about you, Jack. I love you for _you_. Scars and disfigurements don’t matter, hell they just make me proud, proud that I got to be the one to earn the trust and affection of one of the most badass men in the universe.”

Bringing Jack’s hands up to his lips, Rhys gently kissed the scarred knuckles, “I love you, Jack. No matter what.”

One deep shuddering breath, another, one more, and Jack was slowly lifting his head. For the first time he showed his true face to Rhys, all the pain and suffering of his past laid bare as the younger man took in the horrific scar marring Jack’s skin.

Reaching up, Rhys lightly traced the indented vault symbol with his fingers, noticing how Jack shuddered at the touch, eyes fluttering closed, “Does...does it hurt?” 

Jack shook his head slightly, “No...just never...never had someone touch it like that before…” Brows pinched in concern, Rhys kept his touch gentle as he drank in every detail about the brand-like scar.

The affected skin was a deep blue, edged with angry, irritated red all around. Jack’s skin was warped and almost cracking along the lines of the scar, it looked like it wasn’t even fully healed. 

Rhys’ found his eyes were drawn to how the mark cut across Jack’s left eye, searing the flesh. When Jack opened his eyes to look down at Rhys again, the kneeling man was able to see how the eye was a milky white, completely sightless.

“Oh Jack…” Fingers danced over the scar once more, Rhys leaning up to press a light kiss to the center of the arch, “You’re even more handsome like this.” Pulling back to smile softly at Jack, Rhys ran his fingers through the shocked man’s hair.

“You know I would never lie to you, Jack. You’re more handsome without the mask because it’s the real _you_. No facades, no lies, it’s just you. Jack. The man I love, the man who deserved so much better than what he got. The man who cries over sad movies and loves to bake cupcakes and lounges on the couch eating ice cream every other night.”

Rhys chuckled at that last bit, taking Jack’s face in both his hands and staring deep into his eyes, “As much as I love Handsome Jack. _Jack_ is even better.”

Shock finally fading, Jack smiled back at Rhys, a single tear rolling down his cheek that the cybernetic man just KNEW Jack would deny shedding later. “You really know how to flatter a guy, Rhysie.”

Rhys just shook his head fondly and pulled Jack in for a kiss. It was deep, slow, and incredibly passionate, screaming a silent message through locked lips. 

_I love you, you asshole._

When they broke apart for air Rhys had made his way into Jack’s lap, grinning down at the older man with his arms looped around his neck. Gaze full of love and affection, Jack sighed and rested his head on Rhys’ chest, the tension stiffening his body finally oozing away.

“I love you too, Rhys…”

**Author's Note:**

> Oh man, I'm really proud of this one. I loved every second of writing it and hope you guys enjoy reading it!!
> 
> Kudos and comments...dammit it's too early I can't think of something witty. Just...they make me happy and excited and all those warm fuzzy feelings!!


End file.
